It Had to be This Way
by KittyKei96
Summary: Al's stress levels couldn't go any higher for his sweet and quiet personality is tested being the leader instead of Edward, for on that fateful night it was was Ed whose soul was connected to that suit of armour. Can Alphonse find the philospher stone while being a dog of the military and having a different outlook on life?


In an alternate turn of events Edward was the one that lost his body on that fateful night the boys tried resurrecting their mother. Now it's Alphonse, the younger of the two, who has to face a grueling life working to return Edward to his original form. How can he do that? The philosopher stone. (Al's POV- R&R)

_I thought it was going to me that lost my body, I thought it was going to be me who was destined to die. The lights were blaring alongside me and I was scared. _

_ "Edward!" I shouted. I couldn't see him anymore. My body was shaking and I panicked. Through the thick fog I caught a good glimpse of my brother's blonde hair. He was being lifted off the ground, his face fear stricken. I reached my hand to him and tried to move forward but something in my body wasn't letting me. _

_ "Al! Help me please!" he squirmed as he neared the mouth of the portal. I watched as his body disintegrated and disappeared. I had to act fast. I looked all around me for something, anything. I had studied enough alchemy to know how to transmute a soul into an object. _

_ I got up, looking all around the room until I found a metal suit of armor. I must do this. I cut my finger once more with a blade and opened the helmet of the armor, tracing a Soul Binding transmutation circle on it, focusing all of my energy to this piece of metal. The iron of my blood should fuse with it. _

_ Tears rolled down my face, then suddenly there was a stabbing pain in my right eye. Crying out I fell back onto the floor, holding my face, feeling the warm liquid seep through my hands. It hurt so much, I didn't know what was happening._

_ "Al….Alphonse?" Edwards voice was hollow and confused. I looked with my good eye and an odd feeling of relief washed over me._

_ "I-…I-….I'm so sorry Edward."_

_**X**_

Chapter 1

I was overwhelmed with frustration, stress, and downright hurt. After my continuous search for the philosopher stone, I still came up with nothing. Sitting down on a cold bench in the middle of Central I ran my fingers through my short blonde hair. My brother and I had already moved on from Tucker's house and the disaster that had happened there. I shook my head trying to push it from my mind.

"Where shall we start now O'smart one?" Edward stood above me and I shot him a glare.

A couple of girls walked passed and giggled something about my eye patch. I groaned and held my head down slightly, trying hard to mask my embarrassment.

"What the hell are you looking at!?" Edward shouted at the girls, they shrieked as soon as they saw the metal armor speak and walked a lot faster. I have to admit, it did make me laugh.

"Ed, you can't just go yelling at any random stranger who looks at me funny." I rubbed my hair awkwardly.

"Who says I can't? They shouldn't be rude in the first place then." He tilted his chin up arrogantly and I sighed.

I waved to the girl who laughed at me, and she whispered to her friend again. Sometimes I really wish I didn't have this stupid eye patch.

"Well, let's get going!" Edward started to march off into town.

"What? Wait up!" I hurried after him and walked with him into town. The streets were busy with cars and street vendors. There were open door stores, shops, and food places. It's been so long since I was in a town I almost forgot about a lot of it.

"Ed, we need to get to the Military office sometime today, Mustang is waiting for me and you know how he gets when I'm late." I smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah yeah, well his military panties can wait a few moments. Oh! Look at this!" Ed rushed over to a street vendor and started talking to him like they were old friends.

I subconsciously blushed at the thought of Colonel Mustang in panties and started laughing really hard. A mother and her child that were walking by stopped to give me an odd look.

"Uh…Good afternoon!" I waved over excitedly. Shrugging away I went to go find Edward and drag him to the office one way or another.

"Is that so?" the vendor was older with white and grey hair, his mustache framing around his mouth.

"Yeah!" He opened up his helmet lid and exposed that there was nothing inside. "I'm just a metal body!" Edward laughed mockingly. The old man got a look of horror across his face.

"Edward! Uh, sorry sir, he is just joking you that's all!" I grabbed the metal moron by the arm and drug him across the street.

"Another thing! You can't just go showing anyone that your just a metal suit and scare them for your own childish amusement." I pointed my finger at him.

"Sheesh, I'm supposed to the older brother here not the scolded 10 year old." he laughed. Anger flickered across my face for a moment then I simply walked off.

"You can be so annoying sometimes." I shrugged him off by a wave of my hand.

"Hey! You can't just leave me here! Remember, _I'm_ the older brother not you!" he shrieked. I smiled to myself.

He caught up to me and jokingly hit me on the shoulder. I laughed at him and he got a look of anger on his face.

"You're a jerk." He muttered.

"Wow, how mature of you, being mean to the younger brother Ed." I chuckled. He hit me in the arm again but this time it was harder than before.

"Hey!" I dodged his next one. We continued like that back and forth until we got to the office. I looked at my pocket watch, it was 5:10 and I was supposed to be there at 4:30!

"Ed! We have to run, so oil your gears and let's go!" Ed glared sharply then we ran there.

-The Office-

"Boys. Your late. Again." Colonel Roy Mustang had his elbows propped up on the desk, his black hair hanging over his face, and a look of annoyance in his expression.

"Hi sir. Sorry, didn't mean to be late. Edward saw some 'cool stuff'." I shot him a cold look and returned my attention to Colonel Mustang.

"It's the usual. Anyways, I have a very important mission for you boys today." He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head with a big smirk on his face.

I looked at Edward. This probably wouldn't turn out well, knowing very well just how 'good' the other missions Mustang sent us on went.

"This one will be fun for you too recycling can." Mustang laughed loudly at his own joke and I even had a small giggle myself.

"Who the hell are you calling a piece of good for nothing metal!?" Ed freaked out and started ranting to himself.

"Ed, calm down. It was just a joke." I was still laughing. "So, Mustang. What is the mission?" I was all ready for it. If it gave us any clues to the philosopher stone, I was ready.

"Alright boys. You better be prepared to leave first thing in the morning. Edward and I nodded and as we turned to leave I saw Mustang smile a malicious smile.

_**X**_


End file.
